The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced the nominees for this year’s Special Awards and Momentum Awards. The recipients of the 2017 Momentum Awards will be presented with their awards at a luncheon on Sept. 27, and the recipients of the 2017 Special Awards will be presented with their awards at a separate luncheon on the following day (Sept. 28) in Raleigh, North Carolina, as part of IBMA’s World of Bluegrass event Sept. 26-30.
The IBMA Special Awards recognize outstanding work in categories including Broadcaster of the Year, Bluegrass Event of the Year, Best Graphic Design for a Recorded Project, Best Liner Notes for a Recorded Project, Print/Media Person of the Year and Bluegrass Songwriter of the Year. Nominees in each category are selected by a specially appointed committee made up of bluegrass music professionals who possess significant knowledge of that field. The recipient of each award is decided on by the Panel of Electors, an anonymous group of over 200 veteran bluegrass music professionals selected by the IBMA Board of Directors.
The IBMA Momentum Awards recognize both musicians and bluegrass industry professionals who, while in the early stages of their careers, have contributed to, or had an influence on, bluegrass music. The Mentor award, in contrast to the others, recognizes a bluegrass professional who has made a significant impact on the lives and careers of newcomers to the bluegrass industry. Starting with recommendations from the IBMA membership, nominees are chosen by committees through a multi-stage process involving respected musicians and industry leaders in the bluegrass world.
The 2017 IBMA Special Awards nominees are:
Graphic Design:
Casey Campbell and Gina Leslie, Casey Campbell – Mandolin Duets: Volume One, Independent
Jimmy Hole, Noam Pikelny – Universal Favorite, Rounder Records
Lisa Horstman and Karen Key, On Top of Old Smoky: New Old-Time Smoky Mountain Music, Great Smoky Mountains Association
Scott McCormick, The Infamous Stringdusters – Laws of Gravity, Compass Records
Lynn Weathers, Kristin Scott Benson – Stringworks, Mountain Home
Liner Notes:
Peter Cooper, The New Kentucky Colonels – Live in Sweden 1973, Roland White Music
Thomas Goldsmith, The Earls of Leicester – Rattle & Roar, Rounder Records
Matt Glaser, Michael Cleveland – Fiddler’s Dream, Compass Records
Bill Nowlin, J.D. Crowe and the New South – 40th Anniversary Edition, Rounder
Ted Olson, On Top of Old Smoky: New Old-Time Smoky Mountain Music, Great Smoky Mountains Association
Broadcaster:
Cindy Baucom (Knee-Deep in Bluegrass)
Michelle Lee (WOBL 1320AM/107.7FM)
Steve Martin (WSDL 90.7 FM NPR/WOBO 88.7 FM/SSB Radio)
Alan Tompkins (KHYI FM-95.3)
Kris Truelsen (Radio Bristol)
Print Media:
Gordon Castelnero and David Russell (Earl Scruggs: Banjo Icon, pub. Rowman & Littlefield)
Derek Halsey (Bluegrass Unlimited, the Mountain Times, the Herald Dispatch, the Columbus Dispatch)
John Lawless (Bluegrass Today)
Ted Lehmann (No Depression/ Bluegrass Today /Ted Lehmann’s Bluegrass, Books, and Brainstorms)
David Morris (Bluegrass Today)
Songwriter:
Larry Cordle
Carl Jackson
Thomm Jutz
Milan Miller
Tim Stafford
Event:
Bloomin’ Bluegrass Festival & Chili Cook-Off – Farmers Branch, TX
Bluegrass & Chili Festival – Claremore, OK
Emelin Theatre Bluegrass Concert Series – Mamaroneck, NY
Pickin’ in Parsons – Parsons, WV
25th Bluegrass Music Festival – Ulster American Folk Park, Northern Ireland
Momentum Award nominees are:
Festival/Event/Venue:
Carolina in the Fall Music & Food Festival – Wilkesboro, NC
Farm & Fun Time – Radio Bristol – Bristol, VA
Frankfort Bluegrass Festival on the Green– Frankfort, IL
Jam in the Trees – Black Mountain, NC
Red Wing Roots Music Festival – Mt. Solon, VA
Industry Involvement:
Megan and Adam Chowning (Nashville Acoustic Camps)
Ernie & Debi Evans (Evans Media Source Promoters)
Kris Truelsen (Radio Broadcaster/Radio Station Producer/Host of Farm and Fun Time)
Mentor:
Darin Aldridge (Artist – Darin & Brooke Aldridge)
Anni Beach (JamPak)
Robert Fisher (Laser scientist by day, pro bono mandolin teacher by night)
Lorraine Jordan (Artist)
Laurie Lewis (Artist)
Band:
Bill and the Belles (Johnson City, TN)
Fireside Collective (Asheville, NC)
Mile Twelve (Boston, MA)
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys (Sevierville, TN)
The Wooks (Lexington, KY)
Vocalist:
Jacob Greer (Claybank – West Jefferson, NC)
AJ Lee (AJ Lee/ AJ Lee and Blue Summit -Tracy, CA)
Kim Robins (Kim Robins and 40 Years Late – Clear Creek, IN)
Jesse Smathers (Lonesome River Band – NC)
Dan Thrailkill (The Trailblazers – NC)
Instrumentalist [three are chosen in this category]:
Carley Arrowood (Fiddle – Darin and Brooke Aldridge, Union Mills, NC)
David Benedict (Mandolin – Mile Twelve, Boston, MA)
Brandon Bostic (Dobro, Guitar, Mandolin – Blue Moon Rising, East TN)
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes (Fiddle – Mile Twelve, Boston, MA)
Casey Campbell (Mandolin – Bryan Sutton Band, Nashville, TN)
Ellie Hakanson (Fiddle – Jeff Scroggins & Colorado, Portland, OR)
Garrett Newton (Banjo – the Garrett Newton Band, Washington, DC)
Tristan Scroggins (Mandolin, Guitar, Bass, Banjo – Jeff Scroggins & Colorado/Scroggins & Rose) (Greenwood Village, CO)
Zeb Snyder (Guitar – Snyder Family Band, Lexington, NC)
About the Author
Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at lhollabaugh@musicrow.com.View Author Profile
